Left-hander Sean Manaea reportedly agreed on a two-year, $28 million deal to join the Mets, according to a report from MLB Network insider Jon Heyman on Sunday. The club has not confirmed the report. The deal reportedly includes a player opt-out after 2024.
After an excellent end to the 2023 season, Manaea decided to bet on himself in free agency and opt out of a $12.5 million deal with the Giants for ’24.
Manaea largely served as a bulk innings pitcher for San Francisco last season after struggling out of the gate, starting just ten of 37 appearances while logging 117 ⅔ innings. While his 4.44 ERA and 3.90 FIP don’t jump off the page, Manea finished off strong.
The left-hander sported a 7.96 through his first eight starts before losing his spot in the Giants’ rotation, but it may have turned out to be a blessing in disguise. Manaea was borderline dominant from there on, posting a 3.44 ERA and 3.15 FIP while striking out 9.5 batters per nine innings.
After spending essentially four months in the bullpen/piggyback role, Manaea returned to the rotation in September with good results. In his final four starts of 2023, Manaea had a 2.25 ERA over 24 innings, striking out hitters while walking just two.
Perhaps even more promising, the soon-to-be 32-year-old had perhaps the best fastball of his career. Manaea averaged 93.6 MPH with his heater in 2023, the fastest of his career and more than two ticks faster than what he averaged the year before.
Manaea profiles as a dependable middle-of-the-rotation innings eater with some upside heading into 2024. Aside from a truncated 2019 season due to shoulder surgery, Manaea had pitched at least 140 innings in every full season of his seven-year career heading into 2023.
